1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disconnectable current tapping device on a distribution column having parallel non coplanar omnibus bars, for electrical switching apparatus.
By electrical switching apparatus is meant in the present context apparatus such as contactors, circuit breakers, circuit breaker contacters, protection apparatus or switches properly speaking having several poles for providing opening and/or closure of a power circuit fed from the above mentioned distribution omnibus bars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From the French patent application No. 84 19536 filed on the Dec. 20th, 1984 in the name of the applicant, for "A DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND COLUMN FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHING APPARATUS", and published under the No. 2 575 340, a current tapping and disconnection device is known associated with a distribution column including vertical non coplanar omnibus bars oriented in different vertical parallel planes. This device is in the form of a block molded from an insulating material and has, on the one hand, fixed means for electrical connection to power terminals of the switching apparatus used and, on the other hand, current tapping clips engageable on the vertical omnibus bars and disengageable therefrom by translation of a clip carrying slide controlled by a rotary shaft, which is rotated by a plug which is mounted for translation on the shaft while being urged by a return spring and which is governed by a manual control member.
In the above mentioned application, the current tapping (engagement) and disconnection block also includes a pre-break microcontact which is sensitive to the movement of the plug along the axis of the shaft during actuation of the manual control member, and which causes tripping of the switch apparatus during movement of the plug, so as to ensure that disconnection will take place off load.